Haunt my waking Moments
by fluffykitty12
Summary: Jess turns thirteen and is poisoned by a nylock. The nylock haunts her waking moments and dreams, and no one is safe to tell about it. Can she trust this nylock. When she desserts the team in order to try to save them all, will the rangers ever understand? Sequel to Accepted.


Chapter 1

"_Hello." Jess recoiled at the sight of the Nylock, who sat on a rock opposite her, staring. _

_She reached for her sword only to find it wasn't there._

_The Nylock sighed. "Ye of little faith. You shouldn't fear me, not when I can restrain myself."_

"_I will never fear a nylock. I only destroy them." she said, trying to figure everything out._

_The Nylock sighed. "Do you want to know the secrets?" he asked._

"_What secrets?" Jess demanded._

_The nylock smiled. "Why your uncle is still alive, where he is."_

"_Tell me! Tell me now!" Jess said, staring at the Nylock, rapt with interest. _

_Suddenly she was surrounded by mist, and everything had faded away._

"Tell me!" she yelled, sitting bolt upright. Jayden quietly dabbed at her forehead with a cloth. "Relax. You're just sick again. Nylock poison."

Jess sat back, panting. "jay…." She muttered quietly.

Jayden leaned forward. "Yes?"

"Y-your dad… he's alive….'

"_What?_" Jayden's sharp tone scared her and she wriggled back against the wall, whimpering.

Jayden took a deep breath and spoke, shaking his head.

"No, Jess, he isn't. It's just the poison messing with your head again, alright?"

She nodded and shuddered, feeling cold all over. "J-Jay…?"

"Yes?"

"Is there really a porcupine on the dresser?"

Jayden looked over at the dresser in the recovery room and sighed.

"No, hallucinations are starting again. I'm going to move your arm, alright? Tell me if it hurts and I'll stop."

He quietly fingered Jess's lower arm and moved it slightly towards him, unwrapping it to reveal the deep slash the sword had made. The skin around the wound was black, and dried blood caked the wound.

Jayden took a breath. It looked better than it had a few hours ago, at least.

He looked down at Jess and saw her biting her lip, eyes shut, fists clenched.

"You were going to tell me if it hurt.' He reminded her.

"it- it doesn't…." she muttered.

"You don't always have to be so strong, Jess." He said, quietly removing the small jar mentor had. Inside it there was a white cream.

He quietly applied it to the wound, and Jess sighed with relief. Jayden wrapped the wound in a fresh bandage, tossing the bloody one into a garbage can.

"Better?' he asked.

Jess nodded quietly, relaxing

"It'll draw the poison out. Think you can get some more sleep?"

"Nightmares…." She muttered quietly.

"I'll wake you up if you start thrashing." He promised, and she drifted back into her fevered sleep.

Jayden looked down at her, her face was almost as white as the pillow she lay on. She sighed as he looked down at the bandage. It was growing red again, but he knew it was just the blood red poison being drawn out. He reached to get a towel to mop the sweat off her forehead and realized his hand was shaking.

He forced himself to relax, taking another breath. His father wasn't alive. He was dead, had been for years. Jess was hallucinating.

He looked back down at her still form and felt her forehead. She was burning up. It was going to be a rough night for her, with the fever, hallucination, and nightmares.

And on her birthday, too. Jayden sighed, then felt something like pride spark in his chest at the memory of her bravery. Her sword wasn't in her hand, she had been in town at the time, getting some cupcakes for Mike, who had the flu.

Out of nowhere, a nylock had come from a gap outside and started attacking people. Jess didn't have her morpher, since Antonio was repairing it, and she hadn't expected an emergency.

Almost everyone had gotten out, except for a little boy on about six. The nylock, a grotesque lizard like creature, with a forked tongue that protruded from his mouth. He had tried to get to the child, but she had managed to counter all his strikes with symbols, until he aimed two attacks. She couldn't counter both, so she had simply taken the hits, saving the child.

The team had run up and defeated the nylock, and Jess had blacked out in his arms.

So why was he so shaken up?

His little cousin being hurt was enough to make him jittery, yes, but the mention of his father had brought back so many tears he had fought off. It hit him now like a wrecking ball, and he sighed, swallowing the sobs in the back of his throat.

His father was dead. He had the legacy now, he had to carry on. He wouldn't fail.

Chapter 2

She woke up to find something cool covering her face and to the sound of Ji's voice.

"Most of the poison is purged now, I think.'

She quietly removed the wet cloth from her face and sat up.

"Jay?"

Instead, mike and Ji stood beside her, talking.

Mike grinned at her. His nose was still stuffy. "Glad to see you're awake." Mike said thickly.

She nodded, sitting up. The dream from yesterday was vivid in her mind.

'Ji, Jason is still alive." She said quietly, moving to stand. Ji stopped her.

"Jess, I think you'd better lay back down for a while." He said, concern etched on his face.

"But Ji, Jason, he's still alive! Did you hear me?"

Ji shook his head, turning to mike. "Hallucinations.' He said quietly.

"Ji, I'm telling the truth.'

"Jayden told me you asked him about porcupines last night.' Mike offered. 'I'm sure that felt real at the time, too."

She sighed, impatient. "Where is Jay?' she asked.

Ji shook his head. "He's resting. The fight yesterday took a lot out of him."

Jess nodded, but she sensed Ji was hiding something.

"Ji, I'm fine." She said quietly.

Ji nodded. "Good. Then you won't mind resting for a bit more."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, but obeyed, staring up at the ceiling. Eventually, Mike and Ji left, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

The Nylock's voice. She replayed it over and over in her head.

_You shouldn't fear me, not when I can restrain myself._

She knew all beings had a choice between good and evil, but he could restrain himself from doing evil? She had never heard of a full nylock with that ability. So he was somewhat human….

She realized two hours had passed and stood up. She wouldn't mention Jason to anyone else, since it was clear they thought she was crazy when she did. She needed to think straight, clear her head.

She knew Ji wouldn't allow her to go for a walk, so she snuck out the window, leaving pillows under the blankets and hoping they'd buy her some time.

She left through the gate of the Sheba house and journeyed through the woods for a while, stopping at the remote beach she knew. The water sparkled in the sunlight, and she grinned. She wasn't wearing shoes anyways, so she strode over and waded into the ocean, feeling the cool breeze make her hair fly every way.

She looked behind her. Jayden might be looking for her, so she covered her tracks and dove into the spray.

She had never known the ocean to feel so good. The foam frothed and the waves crashed, drowning out her reeling mind.

There were some rocks about thirty feet out and she swam to them, fighting through the waves until she reached them and climbing onto one.

She grinned, sitting on the rocky ground and looking out at the ocean. The sprays crashed around this rock, and she remembered the time Kevin had mistook her for a mermaid on the beach. Well, now, she supposed she really did look like one.

The swim through the waves had been exhausting, and she sat there for hours, watching the ocean move and the tides change.

Finally, dusk came, and she sighed, knowing she'd have to return to the Sheba house. For once, she didn't want to face the people she knew and loved. But he head was cleared now, she could think.

She dove into the water once again and swam to shore, quickly using her fire symbol to blow a hot wind over her, drying out her clothes.

She started back through the woods.

It was around nine by the time she reached the Sheba house and strode in the door, to find Jayden pacing the room.

"Jess!' a look of immense relief crossed his face when he saw her, but instantly it was replaced by something that looked like disappointment, and a hint of anger.

"We've been looking all over for you!" he said, almost yelling.

She nodded. "I figured you would be. I told you, Jay, you worry needlessly.'

Jayden's cheeks flushed slightly. 'Jess, don't sass me! Why'd you sneak out?"

"Because I knew Ji wasn't going to let me go outside."

"Where did you go? Some place you weren't supposed to?"

She shook her head. 'No, jay, I just went to clear my head. Relax. It's not like I have friends or anything."

She knew that even though he didn't show it, the words stung Jayden. He always wanted her to make a friend, but she never could deal with normal people. Animals were her favorites.

"so, you just ran off You could have gotten hurt, killed, even!"

Jayden, I know how to swim.' she said quietly.

"So you went to a pool?"

"Jay, I'm not telling you where I was, because then you'll put it on your map or something and hunt me down wherever I go there."

Jayden took a breath and sighed. "Look, you were poisoned yesterday. I was worried about you.'

She sighed. "I know you were jay. Ye of little faith…."

_You shouldn't fear me when I can restrain myself. _The Nylock's words rang in her head as clearly as if he had been in the room with her.

"Jess?" Jayden was watching her carefully. She knew he was looking for any signs of weakness.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Fine, Jay. That's what I've been trying to tell you all day."

Jayden nodded carefully. "Okay. You said some pretty weird things last night….' She nodded.

"See you in the morning, then. I'm going to bed."

She quietly went into her room to find Mia and Emily already asleep. She sighed as she crawled into bed. No one to talk to.

No one believed her when she said that Jason was alive, and so she'd kept quiet about it. But the Nylock in her dream last night… he seemed to have been telling the truth, and she figured he knew something. Besides that, she had heard him finish his sentence clearly only a minute earlier, and no one else had. So she was being targeted. But why? She closed her eye and hoped for another dream.

Chapter 3

Three days without another dream, and Jess was beginning to think it really was a hallucination, when another one came.

_She was still sitting on the rock opposite the Nylock, who watched her intently through his beady black eyes._

"_Where is my uncle?" she demanded. _

_The Nylock smiled. "I can't believe you can't see it, girl. It's as clear as a bell!"_

"_What do you mean? She demanded. "The entire team thought I lost my mind for three days, and now you're insulting me?"_

_The nylock laughed. "You've been getting my whispers for a while then, haven't you? Found nothing useful, I bet."_

"_No. Just give me a clue!' she demanded._

_The Nylock sighed. "you know, maybe you weren't as bright as I thought you were."_

"_What do you mean?" she demanded. _

_The Nylock sighed. "I'd have thought you'd have done your research by now. My powers are fading. I can't keep you in this dream much longer."_

"_Wait a second…." She said quietly, channeling her own strength and forcing the dream to continue._

"_Alright, there. The symbol should hold for a bit longer. No tell me something about my uncle, a clue, an anonymous tip, something."_

_The Nylock shook his head. "If you had researched, you would understand." He said quietly._

_She sighed. "fine, fine, I'll research you. What's your name?"_

"_Gyro, The silver sword warrior." He said quietly._

_She nodded._

"_Is there any way for you to get more power so you can contact me sooner?"_

_The nylock nodded. "I'll try." He said quietly._

Her alarm clock was screaming beside her when she woke up, and she gasped. She felt achy all over. It was exhausting sending someone a dream, she realized.

She quietly sat up. Mia was making breakfast while Emily dressed, and she went to shower. Hot steam came quickly, and she inhaled it, enjoying the heat of it.

She quietly got into her training clothes, a simple white T-shirt and traditional Japanese pants that were cut off above the calf, allowing her a full range of motion.

At breakfast, Jayden spoke.

"I don't like it, no attacks in three days. The Nylocks must be planning something big."

Kevin nodded. "It's just a matter of them striking. And when they do, we'll be ready. We've all been training hard."

Jayden nodded. "That's what I want to talk about. Don't train physically today, because when the attack comes, we want to be fresh. Ji had to go visit his sister, she's sick, but he said to be ready for a major attack, and read scrolls or something."

Jess tried to hide her grin. That was exactly what she was planning on doing.

"I call all the scrolls about fish zords!" Antonio said.

"Dibs on animal scrolls!" Emily called.

Mia dished out lumpy pancakes, and they all pretended to like them. Mia grinned. "I love to cook for you guys." She said.

Mike grinned, trying to swallow a mouth full of undercooked pancake. "We… love eating it…." He lied.

"What about you, Jess?" Emily asked quietly. "What scrolls do you want to read about?"

"Nylocks." She said quietly. Her silence had become noticed, she realized, and she quietly cursed. She'd been so busy thinking during the past few days that she hadn't really spoken much.

They all fell silent at the words.

"Why Nylocks?' Jayden asked finally. She shrugged. "Wondered about them, what kinds of poisons they have that I haven't experienced yet."

Jayden grinned, and they all looked relieved.

"No offense, Jess, but you've been poisoned, what, three times?" Mike asked. Jess nodded.

"They'll run out of poisons soon." Mia tried to assure her, and Jess shrugged, placing her dishes in the sink and heading to the study.

Ji kept all his scrolls here, and she thumbed through all the scrolls on Nylocks, until she found the section she was looking for.

Dragon Nylock, Water Nylock, what kind of Nylock was Gyro?

She gave up searching for names and started thumbing through pictures until she found the right one.

It was a perfect replica of gyro, with the headdress of red eyes and black spikes up and down his arms and legs.

She read the text carefully. It was written in winding hand writing, and read;

The Nylock of the Silver Sword

This Nylock possesses a name that is unknown. As a young adult, he chose becoming a Nylock rather than to face the challenges human life brought. He abandoned his family and left his younger sister, Rachel, to grow up hardly knowing him. It is said the Nylock revisited his family several times, but at each time chose to wreak havoc, and left terror and destruction in his wake. After disobeying an unknown order from Master Xandred, the nylock was cursed so he could only speak of somethings in riddles, out of fear he would betray Master Xandred once again. Set to be destroyed, The Nylock of the silver sword disappeared from history and hasn't been seen since. It is unknown if he is alive or dead.

She stared at the scroll long after she had finished reading. Only speak in riddles….

She stuffed the scroll in her pocket and raced into her room, slamming the door behind her. She pulled out a small pad out paper and wrote down everything he had said.

_Clear as a bell, weren't as bright as I thought you were, powers fading…. _

None of it made sense! She threw down her paper in frustration and tried to focus, tried to call out to gyro. She was too weak, and she ended up on the floor.

There was a knock at the door a moment later.

"Jess?' it was Jayden. "You alright?"

"Yeah, fine." She said.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure.' She shoved the scroll on Gyro and her paper in the pillow case and the door swung open.

Jayden entered and perched on the edge of her bed.

"You've been really weird lately." Jayden said quietly. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded, fidgeting slightly. She'd have to lie again. "Yeah, fine. It's just driving me crazy, you know, the Nylocks are going to attack soon, I can feel it, but I have no idea where. It drives me nuts!'

Jayden smiled, looking a bit relieved.

"It drives me nuts too, Jess. Don't worry, they'll strike soon, and then we'll take them."

Jess nodded. 'I hope your right."

Jayden handed her something. "I brought you a scroll. Thought you'd like it."

She quietly opened it. There was a color sketch of the white ranger!

"Wow…." She breathed. "Where'd you get this?" she asked quietly.

Jayden shrugged. "I checked the archives at the Tengen gate, borrowed it for you."

"But Tengen gate is like, three hours away!"

Jayden nodded. "Yeah, it is. The monks want it back, though, so you should probably read it soon."

She nodded. She felt terrible about lying to him like this all the time, when he was doing things like this, bringing her scrolls from the Tengen gate. She knew he was trying to make up for being overprotective by doing this.

"Thanks." She hugged him quietly and he ruffled her hair.

"No problem. By the way, Ji left Macaroni for dinner, and I can teach you how to make it if you want."

She nodded. "Yeah, that would be great." She had been raised on a mountain, so she had no idea how to make packaged items like pudding or Macaroni. So far, Emily, Antonio, and Mentor had taught her how to make toast, microwave popcorn, and soup from a can.

"Thanks, Jay.' She said quietly, still hugging him.

"No problem. Look, I know I haven't been spending much time with you these past few weeks, and I'm sorry, but the monks at the Tengen gate keep finding more urgent tips and such, and Nylock have been attacking a lot lately."

She nodded. "It's alright, I understand.' She said. She did. And truth be told, she didn't mind it if Jayden was away for a day or so each week, since he wasn't always making sure she was alright or worrying about her then.

"I knew you would." Jayden ruffled her hair again.

"I have to go. Kevin challenged me to a game of Zord trivial pursuit."

She grinned. "Kick his butt for me."

"Can do." Jayden left.

She sighed quietly. She understood why he'd been away on samurai business so much lately, and she prayed he'd understand when she told him his father was still alive, and that she'd been talking to a nylock.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the gap alarm, and she grabbed her samurai morpher, just repaired by Antonio, and rushed out the door.

It wasn't just the average Nylock today, but twins. One was completely black, covered in black scales, with white lethal looking spikes up and down her arms, and long claws to complement her glowing Orange eyes. Her twin was entirely white, with jagged scales strewn like battle armor across her body, and a headdress of what looked like feathers that stood ridged.

Her eyes were completely black, and her blood red lashes stuck out, along with her blood red lips.

They were in the center of town, wreaking havoc around a park.

One of them sent lightening from her fingertips, causing a car to explode, while another threw tables at a café aside like they were Frisbees.

"Hey! Quit it!" Mia yelled, as they formed there line.

"Yeah, leave those people alone!" Antonio yelled.

The black one stopped throwing café tables around and went to stand beside her sister. "Well, Gladys, I think it's time we teach these do-gooders a lesson."

"So do I, sister."

"Samurai rangers, go go samurai!" they were all morpher in an instant. "Rangers together! Samurai forever!"

"Lightning strike!" The white Nylock sent lightening flying from her fingertips. It struck all around them, causing the ground to explode and send them flying.

"Lashes for you, my pretties!" Her eye lashes blinked rapidly, and long whips materialized from nowhere, striking them while they struggled to their feet.

A whip wrapped around Jess's wrist and pulled her forward.

"Jess!" Mike yelled.

She sliced off the whip with her sword, and the white nylock cried out. One of her eyelashes was gone!

"You'll pay for what you did to my sister, you little brat!" cried the Black Nylock.

"Spikes slash!" instantly the scales on her back were flying, striking at Jess from all angles.

"Stop it!" Kevin cried, stepping forward to help, but just then, the white nylock attacked.

"Scale slash!" the scales freed from the white Nylock's back and began flying at the rangers.

It was nearly impossible to block all the spikes and scales flying at then, and one sliced across Jess's calf.

Suddenly the Lightning struck around them again, and the Black Nylock moved.

"I'll clean your clocks with my claws!"

Instantly claws were slashing all around them, and it was chaos.

Finally, all the attacks had subsided, and all they could do was lie bruised on the ground, gasping.

"You'll never defeat us!" cried the white Nylock.

"Never!" agreed the black ones.

"Let's finish you, rangers!"

The scales and spikes had settled back on the Nylock's backs.

_The back._

She looked up at the sound of gyro's voice in her head, but she then looked back at the Nylocks.

Sinister spikes spread back from each of their shoulders like wings, it looked like there could be a place there unprotected by scales or armor…. To trust gyro or not to trust him. Jayden had told her under no circumstances to trust a nylock, but if she was right, gyro was half human….

She staggered to her feet, her sword in hand.

"Oh look, Janice, this one still wants to play." Said the white nylock.

"I guess we haven't quite knocked the fight out of you yet, white ranger."

"We will, though."

"Be careful, jess." Jayden tried to stagger to his feet as well, but instantly he was bound with rope from the black Nylock's gaze.

"Not yet, red ranger. We want to play with your little friend first."

"Jess, run!" Jayden said. "They have no weakness!"

She gave him a side long smile.

"There's always a weakness, jay."

"Spike slash!

"Ice fang!" instantly deadly shards of ice flew from the symbol she'd drawn, meeting up with the spikes and sending them flying back onto the Nylock's body.

"Oh, two can play at that game." The white nylock declared.

"Killer kiss!"

Instantly, she blew a kiss, but the shadow of lips that flew from her hand was black, laced with poison.

"Look out!" Emily cried.

"Fire fist!" Fire shot from her fist, colliding with the shadow of lips and exploding, sending tables raining down all around them.

The instant the smoke cleared the black Nylock spoke.

"New moon!" Something black flew from her eyes, like tar, towards Jess. She dodged and sprinted right, jumping onto a table and flipping behind the black nylock. She expertly placed her blade in the spot that wasn't covered by armor. Gyro had been right- it was the back.

The white Nylock whirled while her sword was buried in the Black one's back, and she realized the headdress of ridged feathers was really razor sharp blades a second too late as it sliced into her upper arm.

She jumped back and pulled her blade from the black Nylock's back. The black Nylock fell to her knees and exploded.

Jess flipped over the white Nylock and plunged her blade into her back, and jumped back as she did the same.

"Wow." Jayden breathed, as the bonds that held him disappeared.

Slowly, the rangers got to their feet.

"How did you know that the weakness was the back?" Mike asked.

She was saved from answering as the Nylocks burst into mega mode.

"Lion folding zord!"

"Dragon folding zord!"

"Ape folding zord!"

"Bear Folding zord!"

"Turtle folding zord!"

"Octi zord, let's help out!"

She sighed and watched as Jayden fought. She didn't have a zord, yet.

They knew the weakness was the back, now, anyways.

"Octi zord, ink cloud!"

Instantly, they couldn't see. She heard them calling sword fish, thought. Sword fish came in from behind and stabbed each of the Nylock in the back, and they exploded once again.

"Samurai rangers, victory is ours." Jayden said quietly.

The zords instantly returned to normal size as the rangers dismounted.

"Nice job, Jess!" Mia slapped Jess on the back and she grinned and demorphed. Jayden noticed the torn cloth on her calf and arm.

"You're hurt.' He said quietly.

She shrugged, and blood trickled from the wounds. "It's nothing. Just a few scratches, is all."

Jayden shook his head. "You're going to need stitches.' He said quietly.

"Come on, let's get you home before those get infected."

She didn't wince as the needle again pierced her skin. Jayden studied her face. "Does it hurt a lot?"

She shook her head. "It's fine, jay. Just stop asking me if I'm okay and get it over with."

Jayden sighed and winced as he started to stitch up her calf.

"How does it not hurt? It's hurting me to even think about it."

"Jay, its fine. I've been through a lot worse before."

Jayden winced quietly as he tried to do another stitch in her leg. His hands were blood-covered and shaking.

Jayden felt a firm hand on his shoulder. It was mike. "Want me to do it, man? My mom was a nurse. I've seen her do it tons of times."

Jayden nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry; it's just freaking me out."

"No problem, man. Ready, snowball?"

Jess smiled at her nickname and grinned. "Sure, get it over with."

"This might hurt a little."

"I'm game."

Mike's fingers expertly used the needle, finishing off the stitches in less than a minute. He moved on to her arm.

She sighed as he finished the last stitch. "Thanks mike.' She said.

"No problem, snowball. Drink this." He handed her a cup of tea, and Jess raised her eye brows at him. "You drugged it, didn't you?'

Mike sighed, turning to Jayden. "Hey, it was worth a shot, right? I mean, she never sleeps."

Suddenly, an image of gyro flashed before her.

She was shocked for a moment, but quickly tried to hide it.

"Jess?" Jayden looked at her for a moment. "You don't look so good. Why don't you lie down?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine…."

She pressed her lips together and leaned back against the couch, taking a deep breath. What was Gyro playing at?

All she knew was that if she blacked out or had a vision or something. Jayden would notice, and there'd be no escaping the questions that followed. She let her eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 4

"Is she… asleep?" Kevin asked. Jayden nodded looking down worriedly at his little cousin.

"You don't think she's sick, do you?" Mia asked.

Jayden shook his head quietly. "No, when she's sick she tried to hide it. I think she's just tired. She did do a lot of fighting today."

Jayden carefully sat down beside her and shifted her into his lap, stroking her hair quietly.

"So… you think she'll be alright?" Antonio asked carefully.

Jayden nodded. "Yeah, if anything, I think she's just tired."

Things settled into an unnatural silence.

_Gyro was again in front of her._

"_What did you do?" she demanded._

_Gyro grinned. "I see my attempt at giving you a vision worked."_

"_Only for a minute! Don't do that! Then my friends will really think something's up. I'm already risking a ton by even talking to you."_

_Gyro nodded. "But I've proved myself honest, haven't I?"_

"_Yeah. Thanks for the tip about the nylock the other day. I researched you, by the way. You can only speak in riddles. But how do I trust you for real? I mean, you left your family after all…."_

"_I never left them!" Gyro's voice was sharp, cutting, even._

"_Then what happened? You had a great life, parents, a baby sister.'_

_Gyro sighed. "I left because of my sister." He said quietly._

"_It was in ancient times, we didn't have modern medicine or help. Rachel was born weak, and at three years old she was severely ill. She was dying, and a nylock came to me, saying gif I sold my soul over I could save her. I did."_

_Jess nodded quietly. "Okay, so then what? You lost control whenever you tried to revisit them?"_

_Gyro shook his head. "No, I left to learn to control myself, so those I loved weren't in danger. I managed to get a grip on my Nylock side, control it. I can back to town, but each time, the villages would see the features of a Nylock that I couldn't change. They considered me a demon, and panicked. I never got to see my family again."_

"_I'm so sorry." She said quietly. "So why are you helping me find Jason?"_

"_Because, if you rangers beat Master Xandred, I'm freed of the curse."_

"_Alright then. Tell me about the riddles."_

_Gyro nodded. "Master Xandred set triggers in my mind, I'm cursed, so I can't explain somethings to you."_

_She nodded. "Aright, then, I've been trying really hard to figure out the riddles you gave me, but I have no idea."_

_Gyro shook his head. "My powers are running out. I can't keep you here much longer."_

_Mist was forming around them, separating them._

"_But Gyro, what do I do?" she demanded, trying to give her own strength to keep the dream going. She raced towards Gyro, but he was speeding away from her. She was too weak to lend any help in keeping the dream alive._

"_Solve the riddles!" Gyro's voice yelled, before everything shattered like glass and faded._

She sat bolt upright on Jayden's lap, feeling the stitches on her arm pull and grimacing.

"It's alright." Jayden carefully stroked her hair as she lay back down in his lap.

"You fell asleep. Want anything to eat, Macaroni, soup, tea?"

She shook her head. "I… no, but thanks." She said quietly.

Jayden nodded. "What do you need, then?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." She lied. _No, I need answers_ she thought carefully.

"What do you want, then?" Jayden asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Like I said, I'm fine." Jayden didn't have the answers she needed. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Jay, can you tell me a story?"

Jayden nodded. "Sure, what about?"

"I… don't know. Something from the old samurai scrolls. I remember it was something about a dark place…." _Not as bright as I thought you were…. _Gyro's words. Maybe they had something to do with it.

"You mean the Village of tears?" Jayden asked quietly.

She nodded. "yeah, I think that's it. Tell it to me!" she tried to hide her eagerness, and Jayden smiled.

"Once there was an ancient village called Harojuji. It was very small, but it had a great place of training for some of the first samurai warriors. It was surrounded by a forest of darkness, though, and Nylock continuously attacked it, hoping to destroy the place of training. The fourth Pink ranger guarded the village like a sentient, since she hadn't been called to join the team of rangers in the main city yet. She was only sixteen. She would climb to the highest place in town, and look down over everything, making sure the villagers were alright. She had a pet hawk, as well, and it would circle above the forest and alert her if any Nylocks were coming. The village stayed safe under the guard of the pink ranger for years. Then, she was called to join the team of samurai rangers, but she knew she couldn't leave the village without protection. She called the green ranger, and together, they used there symbol power to protect the village with symbols. The trees surrounding the village grew as large as the century old trees that surrounded it, making it look identical to the rest of the forest from the air. And the pink ranger used her symbol power to place protective seals, shielding the village from the Nylock for a century."

"what happened after the century was up?" Jess asked carefully.

Jayden sighed. "The symbol and protection disappeared, and the village was destroyed by the Nylock, since Master Xandred kidnapped the next pink ranger in line, keeping her from renewing the symbol."

"So why do they call it a dark place, Jay?" she wondered.

Jayden sighed. "Because, all the villagers were slaughtered, and the Nylock left a lasting darkness there. Besides that, it is said that when the trees the green ranger made grow taller were bathed in the blood of villagers, they grew even taller, to shield the place from any unwanted Nylocks, looking to drink in the darkness."

"So, no one's ever found the place?" she asked.

Jayden shook his head. "No, the village disappeared from maps centuries ago. That's the last history ever heard of Harojuji."

Jess nodded quietly. "That's a sad story."

Jayden nodded. "Yeah, not one of my favorite stories."

"Is the village still there?" she asked.

Jayden shrugged. "I have no idea. There are probably ruins, but it's said to be one of the darkest places on earth. Like I said, it's been scared by Nylocks…."

She closed her eyes and leaned into Jayden, and he stopped talking, thinking she was asleep. Really, she was just thinking.

Gyro had said she wasn't as bright as he thought she was, and the village of Harojuji was said to be one of the darkest places ever… Was that the answer to Gyro's riddle?

The only way to figure it out would be to go there and see. She shuddered quietly, thinking of visiting the dark place all alone, and Jayden placed a comforting hand on her back. He must think she was having a nightmare.

And then there was still the problem of getting there, since it wasn't located on any maps, and might not even exist, as well as the matter of being able to get away and go there for a day to investigate… It all seemed so impossible She sighed and let sleep overtake her.

Chapter 5

When she woke up in the morning Jayden was gone, no doubt getting ready to train. Ji sat beside her, studying a wall hanger….

"Hi Ji." She muttered quietly.

Ji smiled. "Hello Jess. How are you feeling?"

She yawned and sat up. "Good." She lied, hoping he'd believe her.

"Hungry?" Ji asked.

She nodded. "Starving." She looked down at her uniform. It was stained, dirty, and torn from yesterday's fighting. "I should probably change before breakfast, though." She entered the room she shared with Emily and Mia, quietly changing her clothes once again.

By the time she slipped out to breakfast, the others were all waiting.

"Morning guys."

She poured herself a bowl of frosted flakes and waited.

"Why's everyone so quiet?"

Ji nodded to her. "We've decided to start individual retreat training."

"You don't need training to retreat, you just run away."

"No, like a religious retreat." Kevin explained.

"Oh. Okay. Where are we going?"

Ji shrugged. "That is for you to decide. You'll all take turns on three day retreats, and come back. You should bond with your elements on this retreat, however.

"Can I go camping?" she asked. An idea had suddenly occurred to her.

Jayden raised his eyebrows. "Camping? How does that help you bond with your element?"

"Well, I'd be in the woods, and, you know, campfires….' She was aware of how incredibly lame she sounded.

"Well, when I was little, grandpa had this thing called reflection once a month, where he spent the entire day alone in the woods, thinking, and he's always come back all happy and stuff, and I started doing it when I turned seven, but he gave me a few days in the woods. It's really great out there, you know, just you and the animals and your symbols…." She trailed off. She hadn't meant to, but she was getting lost in memories from when her grandpa was still alive.

Ji shot Jayden a look, and a moment of agreement came as their eyes locked.

"You can go camping if you want to." Jayden said quietly. "So, you'll need a sleeping bag, a tent…."

'That's not camping." Jess said quietly.

Jayden turned to her. "What is camping, then?"

"Camping is when you go in the woods, gather nuts and plants to eat, drink water from a stream, stare up at the stars, and fall asleep."

Jayden looked a bit wary.

"So, you go into the woods with nothing for three days?"

She nodded. "yeah. It's great."

"And you've done this before?" Kevin asked. Jess nodded. "When you live on a mountain, you know how to survive."

Jayden shot Ji a worried look.

Ji sighed. "You're to take some things with you, at least."

She nodded. "Fine, but no matches, compasses, or cell phones."

Jayden sighed. "You're to take your samurizer, a pair of clothes, a knife, water, food, and a blanket, at least."

She nodded. "Sounds good. When do I leave? I can be ready by noon."

Ji nodded. "That will be good. Go and pack, then."

She quickly placed her dishes in the sink and obeyed.

In her room she carefully chose a pair of clothes to take with her, and a very small blanket. She found Jayden in the kitchen. He handed her a bag filled with food, dried berries, nuts, raisins, cheese and crackers, and two bottles of water.

"That's a lot of food.' She said quietly

Jayden shook his head. 'You're going to need it, trust me. You're all packed?"

She nodded. The sun had just risen.

"I'll be calling to check up on your every now and then."

She nodded.

"Don't worry, Jay, I'll be fine."

She quietly hugged her cousin.

Just then, another image of gyro flashed before her eyes. He was smiling.

"You ready to go, Jess?" Ji asked. The image was gone as soon as it had come. She pulled back from Jayden and nodded. "Yeah, ready. Bye, guys. I'll see you all in three days."

She strode outside and didn't look back.

As soon as she was far enough away, gyro's image came again.

_You've done well, my girl. You know where you must go now."_

_She nodded. 'Yes, but I have no idea where the village even is."_

"_To the east is the sun, at night comes the moon, follow your senses, and you'll find the spot."_

The vision faded. She woke up to find herself splayed on the ground in the woods. So she blacked out when she had visions. That was just lovely. She took a deep breath. The sun was to the east, and the darkness… she sensed it all around her. It was like an endless web. It would take forever to find each source. She went deeper within herself, identifying the source of each darkness, until she found the one thread of the tangled web that led to… sorrow. Ancient sorrow.

She started towards it, feeling dread and apprehension mix together in the pit of her stomach. Jayden and the others didn't know it, but she was doing a lot more than camping for three days.

She followed the invisible force of darkness until she grew tired, and found a stream to drink out of. She could have easily drunk from the water Jayden had packed her, but she wanted to prove that she could survive in the wilderness. She felt a pang of guilt that she wasn't really growing closer to her element on this retreat, and forced herself to focus.

Al around her she sensed things, and they could all burn. The dirt, the sticks, the trees, the leaves, all of these things could burn. And she was the spark, the one ranger besides Jayden who had the ability to call on fire at will. She was dangerous, yet she was docile. One false move, one wrong symbol, and the entire forest could burn down because of her. The control. She needed control.

It was amazing how much control she lacked these days. She couldn't control when gyro's visions came to her, or when Jayden worried about her, and she had to keep lying to cover up the fact that Jason was really alive.

Her powers- her symbol power, her sword- seemed like the only thing she had control of. It was midday now; she had been walking for a while. She stopped under a tree and sat, looking up at the sun. The source of fire. How did it keep from burning up the entire universe? It didn't have a mind, wasn't living, or was it?

As a little girl she remembered being mesmerized by the fire in the fireplace, watching it crackle and pop, hissing and spitting, always dancing, always fighting, regrets going up in smoke. She would be mesmerized by it. Her mother stroked her hair as she would stare at the fire. "It's only natural." Her mother would say, smiling. "She is a Sheba.'

Then her father would nod, and look at her. "Jessie, want to go watch it rain?"

She'd shake her head- she loved snow, hail, rain too- snow was another thing of the white ranger, and her father was from the white ranger's family line.

But still, fire always seemed to have won out.

Now she wondered, would fire end up consuming her someday if she wasn't careful? Sheba's were none to be intense, with anger raging like a fire if they couldn't control it. She'd seen it in Jayden's eyes, when a Nylock had hurt her- he restrained himself so well, though. What if she never could?

She sighed and got to her feet. This always happened when she thought of fire. Her two main hereditary side, fire and snow, always clashing. Sometimes she could take anything, handle anything, without any anger, and other times she's have to force herself not to be angry. Some days she was angry at everyone- Jayden, for worrying about her, Ji, for never telling her what he was thinking and being so quiet, Mia, for being so encouraging, always reminding her how good she was, but somehow always making her remember how far she still had to go, Kevin, for being so proper, Mike, for not letting her play his video games, Emily, for being do lighthearted and cheery, all of them, for not knowing how to help her, and herself, for being so angry at the people she loved.

She sighed. Tears threatened to come now. It had been hours walking along, she realized, almost four in the afternoon, judging by the sun's position.

Her samurizer rang and startled her, causing her to jump.

"Hello?"

"Hey jess, it's Jayden. Wondered how you're doing."

She nodded. "Fine. It's nice out here. I… Jay?" she asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Sometimes, I get angry, and I have no idea why, and I can't control it. You know those nights when I go to bed early or take a long shower or walk in the woods?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I do it because sometimes, I'm not sure I can control myself."

"Jess, that is entirely normal." Jayden said quietly. "When I was your age, the same thing would happen- it's the fire- it's an extremely strong symbol power to have, but it's actually intertwined with your personality. You'll learn to control it. It's alright if you struggled. Even I still struggle sometimes. It's even more complicated for you, since your father was the white ranger."

She nodded quietly and sighed. "But what if I completely loose it and go on a rampage or something?" she asked.

Jayden shook his head. "You won't, I promise. You've controlled yourself so much better than I ever did as a kid. Trust me, it's normal. And, tell me next time when you get angry, alright?"

'Sure. Thanks Jay."

"No problem. Love you jess."

"Love you two, Jay. Bye."

It was amazing how calming Jayden could be at times like that, when she was scared. In some ways, Jayden was like an older brother. A fresh wave of guilt washed over her from not really telling the entire truth. She was drawing closer to the ruins now, she could sense it.

She elected to keep walking in the dark rather than to rest- she'd rest when she got there. Jayden's father had meant the world to him, and though Jayden didn't know it, she'd do anything to find him.

"Almost there, gyro." She whispered. The darkness around the area she felt was overwhelming, but she moved on anyways. Dusk faded to blackness, and she walked under the velvet sky, hardly making a sound.

She was tired. Her legs ached, and her stitches pulled annoyingly, but she kept walking at a steady pace. She was incredibly far from the Sheba house- she'd walked for almost ten hours, and had walked at least twenty miles. She carefully continued on, though. She was surprised that being so far from home didn't upset her.

She ran into something- stones. A stone column. There was a door that had fallen in on the place, and she carefully looked around, and then chose to fall asleep under the stares. She heard wolves howling in the distance, but she wasn't afraid. An eerie calm settled over her, and weariness won out. She drifted off to sleep.

In the gray light of dawn, she woke shivering and hungry. She still hadn't touched the food Jayden had packed her, and she wouldn't. She walked over to a tree and removed her knife, stripping it of the bark and scraping out the soft insides of the bark to eat. She looked around her. Slowly, what had been a village began to materialize.

The buildings were mainly of stone, but she saw rotting wooden boards that had once made up houses. All the structures were crumbling, and what looked to be a church was the only place left standing.

The darkness around the place almost choked her, as she thought of those the Nylock had killed on this very soil.

She swallowed.

What had Jayden said in the story? Something about the highest peak. Where was that?

It seemed like something Gyro would have told her. Though he could only speak in riddles, he was very clever….

_It's as clear as a bell._

The bell tower of the church! She looked around uncertainly. Could Jason really live here? In the midst of so much darkness?

She was about to head up to the bell tower when she heard a mournful howl- the howling of a wolf. She looked around, surprised. It seemed to be coming from underground….

She nudged open the door of the church, stepping inside. It was small, the entire interior was in disarray, pieces of broken plates and pews scattered everywhere. There was the bell tower, the stair case that led up to it too her right… there was the howling again. Should she go?

There was an earth staircase to her left, leading down into a basement, she figured.

She carefully stepped down, instinctively kindling a fire in her hand to light the way.

There was a door carved with symbols, and she easily read it carefully.

The ancient symbols were clearly written by a Nylock, but she translated them.

_If you seek the darkness and power from the tears of lost dreams and crushed hopes, imprisoned here, lays the mighty one, stripped of rank, honor, and kept alone. We couldn't vanquish him, he was too strong, but if you can, reap your reward, and return to the Sanzu for a reward and banquet from Master Xandred._

Her breath caught in her throat. Did this mean the nylock and moogers hadn't really killed Jason?

She heard another howl and looked at the lock on the door. It was ancient, engrained with symbol power. She quickly drew her counter symbol and the lock fell to the floor.

Inside it was completely dark, and the fire in her palm cast an eerie glow upon everything.

"Hello?" she asked quietly.

The howling noise came from the corner once again. She heard a chain clinking together….

Something raced towards her and sat, tail wagging.

"Wolf?' she asked quietly. She noticed the metal body. "Wolf zord?"

The wolf's tail wagged happily, the chain of symbols around his neck jingling.

"You've… the wolf zord was lost centuries ago…." She whispered. Instinctively, she drew the symbol to free the wolf, who bounded up the steps and out the doors of the church.

She sighed. "You deserve your freedom, after being imprisoned for centuries, anyways.' She said, then, giving the dismal basement one last look, she started up towards the bell tower.

The bell was on its side, covered in rust and cracked. There was open air all around the tower, with large windows providing a huge view. She could see everything from up here….

There. Something caught her eye, a small metal tin. It was rusted and dented with age, and she carefully opened it. Inside she found an old page of notebook paper.

_Dear Cindy,_

_I'm sorry I cannot watch you grow up. I know that you will grow without me, and I will miss it, but my first obligation is too the Samurai rangers. The team needs me. Mom and Dad are gone, and I am leaving you With Aunt Ruth. I don't want to, I really want you to come with me, but I must leave you to protect you from the Nylock, who are evil and would try to hurt you. I'll be back someday, Cindy, and I hope it can all be forgiven. Please don't hate me, and write me. I'm crying now. You are the best baby sister I ever could have asked for. Never forget that, alright? Remember who you are. You are Cindy Annabelle Sheba, and you have fire in your blood. You'll get angry, but learn to control it. Like a blaze can cook a meal, it can also burn it. Fire is a dangerous thing, but I'm confident you'll conquer it._

_Love,_

_Your big brother,_

_Jason Sheba_

There was also a small locket, and what looked like a lump of coal. There was an old photograph as well, of an infant in a teenager's arms. The teenager looked shockingly like Jayden, and the girl had the blue eyes and hair of a Sheba…. She was crying now. Cindy. Cindy was her mother's name. Jason… this letter had been written By Jayden's dad to her Mom, Cindy Sheba. Cindy had grown up hardly knowing Jayden, but she still loved him all the same, and they had written almost every day. But how had the letters ended up here?

Gyro. Gyro had placed these here. He was trying to help her solve the puzzle. There was a tarnished wrist watch….

Dusk was coming now, and she chose to sleep in the bell tower. She curled onto her side and found she was even hungrier than before- it was hard to gather food and try and figure out what had happened to Jason. She gave in and nibbled on the food Jayden had packed her.

She woke to a roar around her, and looked down to find Moogers storming the ruins. She felt panic flutter and grabbed her samurizer, stuffing the tin of Jason's things into her bag and zipping it up.

"Samurizer, go go samurai!"

She quickly morpher and moogers raced up the stairway. She was cornered. No escape… she raced to the window on the bell tower and jumped, watching the ground approach her twenty feet below. She hit hard, feet first, and ended up sprawled on the ground. She staggered to her feet, out of breath. She was surrounded by moogers… this didn't look good….

There was the baying of a dog in the distance, and instantly the wolf zord was beside her, lashi9gn out at the moogers, protecting her.

She slashed down as many as she could, but there were simply too many, and she turned and ran, wolf zord rushing beside her.

They moved almost as one through the brush, soundlessly, as only experienced woodsmen could do, feet landing perfectly below them every time. Eventually, they couldn't sprint, and they slowed to a jog, then to a nervous walk. They reached a stream, and they both drank from it carefully. Jess looked at the sky. It was around noon, judging by the position of the sun. Today was her third day. She'd have to get home. She groaned inwardly at the thought of so much walking. She was already tired and bruised from her fight with the moogers, not to mention n having to answer all the questions about how her retreat was when she reached the Sheba house.

The wolf zord gazed at her quizzically. It was as large as a real wolf, though she knew it could easily shrink down so she could place it in her bag. Yet it chose to walk beside her.

"Ready?" she asked. The wolf zord quietly nodded, and threw itself into the water.

They easily made it across, and she threw a worried glance behind them. The moogers would dry out soon, she was sure of it, and they'd be safe. But she wouldn't feel safe until she was back inside the Sheba house.'

She sighed. It was her last day here, anyways. Might as well get back early. She started at a brisk trot, the wolf zord still beside her. The cool water soothed the soreness in her legs, but by the last few miles, they felt like rubber. She couldn't find her way back to the Sheba house without intense concentration, but wolf zord seemed to know where he was going, so she simply followed behind.

Finally, around noon, she made it to familiar woods and grinned. She was almost home.

She strode through the gates of the Sheba house to find the other rangers training.

"Hey guys." She said, forcing a smile to cover her exhaustion.

Mike dropped his sword.

Kevin's jaw dropped. Jayden looked surprised for a moment.

"It's the wolf zord…." Mia whispered.

"Yeah, I found him chained up in the woods." Jess said quietly, reaching down to stroke the zord. The wolf closed his eyes at her touch and his tail bean to wag.

Ji was on the porch now, watching them. "He seems to like you." Ji observed quietly.

She shrugged. "I think he just wanted someone to be with, after all those centuries trapped, alone."

Kevin quietly stepped towards her, and the wolf zord turned and growled. Kevin froze.

"Drop your katana stick. He thinks you're an enemy." She said simply. Kevin dropped the stick and instantly the wolf zord began to pant again.

She walked inside the house easily, sitting down on the couch. Wolf zord quietly shrunk himself and hopped into her lap, and she stroked him quietly.

"Wow." The other rangers had followed her in and settled around. "It's like you're one of his pack." Emily remarked.

Jess nodded. "Yeah, we spent a lot of time together in the woods." _Running for our lives, _she thought quietly.

Jayden nodded. "You really got in touch with your element, then. The wolf zord belonged to the white ranger's family line, you know."

"So, my grandpa had this zord?' she asked.

Jayden shook his head. "No, it was lost centuries ago. You must have really gotten in sync with your element to have found him, though."

She nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"What else did you do?" Antonio asked.

She shrugged. "I did symbol power a ton.' She said simply. It wasn't a complete lie, since she had drawn the symbols to free the wolf zord.

Jayden nodded. "Did you sleep much?" he asked.

She realized she must look pale and tired. She nodded. "Yeah, I just hiked around a lot and stuff." She said simply.

"So, it was nice?" Kevin asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, it was really nice. I'll be in my room if you need me." She said simply.

Exhaustion was taking over, but she had to hide the old belongings from Jason.

She slipped into her room quietly. She had a space in the closet that no one looked in, a secret compartment in the wall she had found.

She carefully opened the tin one last time and looked at the letter, fingered it. Her uncle had written on this paper. There was the lump of coal, the locket, and the picture, too. What did it mean?

She focused. She was exhausted, but she had to figure out the meaning. She summoned her strength and called to gyro.

Suddenly everything was gone.

_She was somewhere new with gyro now, this time on the beach. She tried to ignore the crashing of the waves around them; they were on the rock… the exact rock she had swum too, about thirty feet out from the beach. Spray from the water came down around them, and she heard the gulls cry._

"_Gyro? What does it mean?"" she asked. She noticed Gyro looking exhausted. He was lying on the rocks._

"_Gyro!" she raced over and knelt beside him._

"_Who did this to you?' she asked, looking down at his battered body. There were large gashes and wounds all over his chest._

"_Master Xandred… ordered it… hunted me down… why… the vision… ended…." He whispered._

"_Hang on, gyro." She said quietly._

"_Symbol power, heal!"_

"_You're too weak…." Gyro whispered. His eyes closed. _

"_I'm not too weak." She muttered, as she felt the symbol power leaving her._

"_I… I need you to solve the riddle…."_

_Gyro sighed. The healing symbol had descended on him, and his wounds were disappearing. "I… you don't need me. There are others who know."_

"_But they're all evil nylock.' She said quietly._

_Gyro looked surprised. "And I'm not?' he asked._

_She shook her head. Exhaustion was making things cloudy now. "I… my cousin, the new red ranger, told me everyone has a choice between good and evil… You've made the right choice, Gyro. Though you look like a nylock, I know what's inside you. I'm proud to call you friend…."_

_Her voice was hoarse. The toll of keeping herself in the vision with gyro was immense._

_Gyro placed a hand on his shoulder. His voice sounded remarkably human, for once. "Thank you, friend. I've never had a friend since my family died centuries ago. You're growing weaker. Here is the next clue; "Where dreams have shattered, hope been lost tears shed at a mistakes cost, you'll find what lies next in line."_

She woke up on the floor on the closet, gasping. She was completely exhausted, and she felt cold. She shuddered. She wasn't sick, couldn't be sick. She staggered out of the closet and fell into bed, letting unconsciousness take her.

Jayden peeked into her room ten minutes later to find her sprawled on the bed. He approached her, slightly concerned. Her cheeks were flushed, as though she had a fever. He felt her forehead, and she shuddered I n her sleep, curling into a ball. She wasn't hot, though, but he was still worried. He quietly tucked the covers under her chin, resolving to keep an eye on her for the next day or so. But he also knew she'd been walking in the woods a lot, and was probably tired. She seemed to have grown stronger, too, even though she seemed weak now. Wolf zord carefully sat on her bedside table, poised to stand guard. Jayden couldn't help but smile at the sight as he left.

"She alright?" Kevin asked as he entered main room. Jayden nodded. "she was asleep when I found her. She looks exhausted, but I think the best thing for her is rest. She must have been walking around the woods a lot."

Kevin nodded, but a look of concern still crossed her face.

Ji spoke up. "is wolf zord acting out of character?" he asked.

Jayden shook his head. "no, he seems fine. He's sitting on her bedside table, waiting for her to get up."

Ji nodded, looking relieved. "then I believe she's just tired, as well. Zords have a way of knowing about their human."

Jayden looked surprised. "So, you mean the wolf zord has adopted her?"

Ji nodded. "She freed it. It's a bit odd, considering the wolf zord always belonged to the white ranger, but she had mixed blood, and you already have the lion zord, Jayden."

Jayden nodded. "So, she's got the zord of her family line?"

Ji nodded. "Exactly. There wasn't a white ranger before because he was killed quickly in battle, and his only suitable replacement was an orphaned son. The son was Jess's father."

Jayden nodded now, carefully considering. "but what about Jess's grandpa?"

"He came from the Sheba line. He's your grandfather, too, Jayden.'

Jayden nodded quietly. "I'm worried about her." He said simply.

Ji's brow furrowed. "I thought you said she wasn't sick."

Jayden nodded. "she's not. But something is odd, I can tell. Notice how she's been so quiet lately, so distant? It's like she's thinking really hard, all the time."

"Maybe she's just focusing on her samurai training." Ji said quietly.

"Maybe." But Jayden looked doubtful. He sighed and sat down.

"Never mind. Who wants to go on their retreat next?"

Chapter 6

She woke up feeling slightly better than yesterday. She was sore and tired, still, but at least she could function now. She carefully rolled out of bed, so as not to aggravate the bruises on her arms and legs, and got dressed. Mia and Emily were already up, and wolf zord jumped onto her shoulder before she left.

She quietly entered the kitchen, not greeting anyone. She was too busy thinking. _Where dreams have shattered, hope been lost tears shed at a mistakes cost, you'll find what lies next in line…._

"Morning, sleepy head.' Mike greeted her cheerfully. She looked up, a bit surprised. "Morning." She sat. Wolf zord jumped off her shoulder and onto the table.

"You slept for the rest of yesterday and all night." Jayden said quietly. "You must have been really tired."

She shrugged. ":Well, I did tromp around in the woods a lot…."

"that always made me tired on the farm!" Emily said. "When I was little, Serena and I'd go walk thing huge deer trail to get to the pond and blackberry thickets, and we'd get buckets of berries to bring home, and the next day mom would make jam while we slept late. It was _exhausting_."

Jess nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes, it always is. You're not from the mountains, Jay, or you'd understand. Fresh air is nice, but it tires you out." She wasn't lying this time. Though the twenty miles back to the Sheba house had tired her out, the fresh air did the same. She smiled at Emily. She had always felt a kinship with Emily, who had lived on a farm not the big cities….

"Where's Kevin?" she asked suddenly.

Jayden nodded. "He went on a fishing trip for his retreat." She nodded carefully. Something about the fishing trip reminded her of something….

Everyone around her had finished there breakfasts, and she placed her dishes in the sink and went outside to train, wolf zord watching from the porch. She kept mike at bay easily, but really her mind was working furiously….

Something about the water, it had brought back some memory from the past, a long, long time ago.

"_Will you read me a story please, grandpa?" she had asked quietly. Her mind was still fuzzy, since grandpa had put some herb or other into her tea s0 she didn't feel the pain._

_Her grandfather carefully sat down beside her. "What story would you like to hear, little one?"_

"_The one about the fool who cried." She said simply._

_Grandpa sighed, but began to story anyways._

"_Once there was a foolish, greedy man, who was in charge of a large trading company. He was captain of his best vessel, which ferried the richest goods over. He was cruel to his crew, forcing them to take risks so that they could make profit, and loosing many a crew member to the sea in the process."_

_She waited for him to continue._

"_Anyhow, one day a storm came, so fierce it was as dark as night. His crew men begged him to drop anchor, since they knew they were never shore, but he refused, forcing them onwards. Too late, they realized that the greedy fool had chosen the wrong course in the darkness, and the ship ran among the sharp rocks by shore. The fool cried at his own bitterness as he drown."_

_She sighed, licking her lips. "That's a sad story." She said quietly._

_Her grandfather nodded in agreement. "But you wanted to hear it, little one." He said gently._

_She nodded. "yeah, I did…." She drifted quietly off to sleep._

The memory had surface so suddenly so forgot to block a blow from mike, and he knocked her stick away.

She quietly retrieved it and returned to the training floor.

'Hey, Jess, you alright?" Mike asked quietly.

She nodded. "Yeah, fine. Why?"

"you just seem… distracted, is all."

She stepped into ready stance and raised her eyebrows at him. "Really? Ready to put your money where your mouth is, green ranger?"

After lunch she told Jayden she was going for a walk and slipped outside.

The walk to the city was easy, no one stopped her- she looked just like any other girl, out on a walk after school.

It was a beautiful day to go to the beach, and tons of people where there, but she knew where she was going. She carefully stepped into the waves and turned, making sure no one was watching. She dove into the water.

She could hold her breath for a while, and she knew where the rocks were. Jutting out and covering all the ways to land but a narrow space, these rocks were deadly to any ship. Only risky people dared use this as a shortcut to dock in the city.

She pulled herself up onto the craggy rocks. They were sharp under her wet tennis shoes, and she carefully strode along.

The spray washed over everything, and the stone wrap-around was about twenty feet across, and shaped in an almost complete circle to meet the land.

She strode around the heavy rocks and carefully scanned the area, searching….

There. It was a grave, she realized, unmarked, untouched for centuries. It was the skeletal remains of the boat that had belonged to the fool.

Some of the wood had rotted away from the ribs, but some chests were still intact. There was a small bit of canvas sail torn on some other rocks.

There were probably innumerable treasures in the locked chests that had made it to shore. No one had found the wreck because they hadn't had the courage to travel onto the peaks, and no boats came near enough to see it. That was why it was called the fool's gravestone.

She carefully stepped inside what had been the massive ship. Only half of the skeletal, ribbing remained, hidden from beach goers by the tall rocks between.

It smelled musty, and something glittered in a chest to her right. Jewels, she realized. She ignored them. They weren't the treasure she wanted. Her quest was for answers.

She staggered over something… a dead seagull, she realized, and kept going. To her right was a chest of spices, the left some old, moth eaten pieces of cloth that had once been silks….

Carefully, she opened a chest at the end of the ship that was only half full. Inside was a scroll, small enough to be easily concealed, and she opened it quietly.

How it had survived the crash was a mystery, but she figured it had had protective symbols ion it. It had somehow fallen into the foolish trader's hands, and he had unknowingly carried it with him, thinking he could get a good price for it.

She started to read, but just then she sensed something was off.

She raced outside and saw moogers flooding the beach, attacking people.

"Symbol power, portal." She drew the portal and threw the scroll inside. If her symbol worked correctly, the scroll would be hidden in her nook in the closet.

She dove into the water, pulling out her samurizer as she went. Thankfully, it was waterproof.

"Samurizer, go go samurai!' She spoke in her head and instantly morphed, bursting out of the waves and onto the beach, spin sword ready.

"Quit it, you moogers! You're tan enough already!' she yelled, charging forward.

She was still tired, and she hadn't expected there to be so many moogers. One threw her into the rocks, while he raised his sword for the final strike.

She kicked the mooger away. The center Nylock was what she'd have to deal with. It was making the moogers stroking. This Nylock, oddly enough, had what looked like black petals surrounding his head, making him look like a flower.

A mooger slashed at her from the side, but she took the blow, still making sure she got the hit on the Nylock.

"hey!" roared the flower nylock.

"Now's my time to blossom!" he jumped away as moogers circled her.

"Tsunami!" the ocean water was rising rapids, and there was nothing she could do.

"Hydro-bow!" Kevin's arrow collided with the tsunami, exploding the mass of water into little droplets.

"Hey! Quit it, blue!"

She sighed in relief and kicked a mooger away, back flipping behind another and ending it.

"Sky fan! Time to blow you away!" A rush of air hit the moogers, tossing some of them into the water.

"Barracuda blade!" "Fire smasher!" instantly, all the moogers were neutralized.

The flower nylock stood on the beach, surrounded.

Slowly, she caught her breath.

"You alright, Jess?" Jayden asked from behind his helmet.

She nodded. "Let's finish this creep!"

Suddenly, the Nylock's skin began to harden.

"Time to swim! I'm drying out!" the nylock was a blur as he disappeared into a gap that had formed beside him.

He was gone.

"Darn it!" Mike kicked the sand in frustration n as they all de-morphed.

"Jess, they cut you, didn't they?" Jayden asked, stepping forward.

"I'm fine, Jay." She said quietly. She could feel blood dripping down her arm.

Before she could stop him, Jayden rolled her sleeve and she gasped in pain.

"That's not fine." Jayden said, grabbing her good arm.

"Come on. We're going back to the Sheba house."

Ji finished the row of stitches and carefully placed a bandage on the wound.

"It was very brave of you to take them all on your own." Ji said quietly.

Jayden shook his head quietly. "You overestimated your abilities." He said simply.

"I didn't.' she said quietly, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"You got hit by a mooger, jess. Moogers are easy. You got cocky and took a hit. It's okay to admit your mistakes, you know."

"Jay, I had an opening on the Nylock. He was the real threat. I knew I was open when I went in, but I did it because it's worth it to take a hit from a mooger to injure a nylock."

"No it isn't!" Jayden said sharply.

"You're just saying that because I'm little!' she retorted.

"Jess! I… I don't want anyone getting hurt on this team."

"Well it was worth it, to get a hit in on that Nylock."

"Don't say that!"

"you know it was, jay. You're just letting your feelings get in the way."

"My feelings!?" Jayden looked surprised.

Jess smiled slightly. "Yeah, jay, your feelings. It's okay to admit you have them."

"What…? Jess, you're getting reckless. You've been so quiet lately, you zone out for no reason, and now you get hit by a Mooger… what is going on with you?"

She smiled slightly, "Nothing, Jay. Just figuring out who I am."

She walked into the room she shared with Emily and Mia and closed the door, leaving the rangers and Ji in the living room, staring after her.

Jayden sighed. "What has gotten into her?' he said, and started to pace.

"She wants to be independent, Jayden." Ji said quietly.

"You constantly hover over her, make sure she's alright, it's annoying her."

"She got hit by a mooger!"

"She did do it for the greater good, you know." Mike pointed out.

"Yeah, and she held off a ton of moogers." Mia added.

"Yes, but if Kevin hadn't been on the fishing boat nearby, that tsunami would have hit the people."

"What does that have to do with her taking a hit?" Antonio asked.

Jayden sighed. "Forget it. You guys don't understand."

"Yes, we do, Jayden. We know you love Jess and you want to protect her, but she's a ranger, and she did the right thing by taking the blow for a hit on the Nylock; it's like a game of chess, Jayden. You always sacrifice a pawn for a bishop in Chess." Emily pointed out.

"Jess isn't a pawn!" Jayden said. He continued pacing.

Everyone was silent.

"Jayden, you just need to relax about this." Mike said carefully.

"Whatever." Jayden strode outside and out the gates.

Kevin shot Ji a look. "Where's he going?" he asked.

Ji sighed. "he'll be back. He needs to clear his head. I do think Jess is just doing what she feels right. Jayden needs to let her grow up."

She hadn't truly been lying when she said she was figuring out who she was. As soon as she was inside her room she had entered the closet to find the scroll in her little nook. She opened it and began to read.

It was a scroll of the Sheba family line. It had been lost for centuries, but she recognized names of the last red ranger. Her mother, Cindy, was on the chart, and father, Romero. There was a small side note. Romero was in line to be the white ranger, but in the last generation there had been no way to get a morpher for her father after his grandfather had been killed.

Her. She touched the paper carefully. Jason and Jayden's mother, and hers. They were side by side in the tree. Both had Sheba blood. But she was mixed, half white ranger, half red.

She thought carefully of Gyro's words.

"_Where dreams have shattered, hope been lost tears shed at a mistakes cost, you'll find what lies next in line."_

She heard gyro's voice as clearly as if he was beside her. Good. Her visions were growing stronger. She was growing closer to Jason. B8ut the words, what did the mean? You'll find whose next in line…. That was Jayden and her, next in line to be the red ranger. Of course, she was the white ranger. It was strange, for a samurai, since normally a father's genes were dominant, but she still had an ample supply of fire power. Almost as much as Jayden.

So, she and Jayden were next in line? She had already known that. What did that have to do with anything?

She sighed, placing the scroll back inside the nook in the wall and closing it. It didn't make sense.

What had she even accomplished? Jayden thought she was losing her mind, she had more stitches in her right arm, and she was nowhere near finding Jason.

On top of all that, she was exhausted. She crawled into bed, and for the first time in a while, cried. She faced the wall, head on the pillow, and cried, long and hard and quiet, until she was truly exhausted, and couldn't feel anything anymore. She cried herself to sleep.

Chapter 7

She woke up quietly. No one had noticed her crying, she realized thankfully, and she slipped into the bathroom. Her eyes were red and the tears had dried no her face, making it feel sticky. She splashed cold water ion it and combed her hair, placing it in a long braid down her back.

She dressed in her normal clothes and slipped out into the kitchen to find Jayden there, waiting.

He smiled when he saw her. "Hey, Jess.'

"Hey…." She was wary. Why was Jayden acting like this?

Jayden sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I just kind of panicked when I saw that Nylock cut you."

Jess shrugged. "I was fine, Jay. I am fine."

Jayden sighed. "yeah, but your my little cousin, Jess, and I love you. You know how much I freak out when you get hurt. I know you're skilled, but I still worry about you, okay?'

She nodded. "Fine. I respect that. But try not to worry so much, okay?"

Jayden nodded. "Deal. We good""

"Yeah, we're good. Let's get breakfast ready before Mia decides to cook.'

Jayden smiled and turned on the stove.

After breakfast things went on as usual, but Jess felt that familiar knot of worry in her stomach that the nylock would strike again soon.

Her samurizer rang.

"hey, jess, its mike. Want to play a zord game?"

"Sure." There wasn't much she could do to find Jason now, anyways, not as long as she was stumped on the riddle Something would happen soon, though, she was sure.

She raced into the training yard to find the others sitting in a circle, zords waiting. Wolf zord jumped out of her pocket and barked.

Suddenly, something seemed to yank her from her body, and her knees buckled….

_She was lying on the ground of somewhere, face in the dirt. She smelled the pine needles and for a brief moment thought of home- there, in front of her, was the symbol she had carved into a tree. The symbol garden. Each time she had mastered a symbol, her grandfather had allowed her to carve it into the bark of a tree. She was home._

"_I chose a better setting this time, don't you think?"_

"_Gyro!" she grinned at him, then instantly her face fell._

"_What were you thinking? Making me black out and giving me a vision in front of my friends? I just got my cousin to trust me!"_

_Gyro nodded. "But you need help to find Jason now, don't you?"_

_She nodded. "yes, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. The next in line, Jayden and I. what does that have to do with anything?"_

_Gyro shrugged. "I'd show you, but it's written in the prophecy of the nether world. You couldn't survive down there for long."_

_Jess shrugged. "So? Can't you tell me the prophecy?"_

"_I've given you all the riddles I can. The only way now is to show you."_

"_Okay, so we go to the nether world and I see the prophecy. Then what?"_

_Gyro sighed. "You must see the prophecy to know. I will make myself appear, and you will know the time to go. Your friends must not know. They must think you've been captured."_

_She nodded. "I'll make it appear that way. But I hate lying, Gyro. When can they know?"_

"_When you've found what you're looking for."_

_Gyro said. "You'll understand soon, I promise."_

"Jess? Jess! What's wrong? Talk to me, please!" Jayden gently shook her, but she didn't move. She just lay still on the ground, only breathing to show she was alive.

"Let's get her inside." Kevin said, and Jayden hurriedly shifted Jess into his arms.

"I'll go get Ji." Antonio said, rushing inside.

Jayden quietly held Jess on his lap as Ji rushed in with a medical kit.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Jayden shook his head, looking down at her, concerned. "She just… blacked out. She was fine one minute, hurrying over with wolf zord, and the next she just… collapsed."

"Maybe wolf zord could give us some clue to what's happening." Mike suggested.

Wolf zord hopped inside then, sitting beside Jess, not moving.

"Wolf zord, what's going on?" Jayden asked quietly. "Please, if she's alright, move, do something!"

Wolf zord turned his head to look at Jayden, then whimpered and laid down beside Jess.

Jayden looked at Ji, worry evident in his eyes. "Is that a good sign?"

"I have no idea."

Emily reached over to feel her forehead. "her temperature's normal." She commented.

"It's almost like she's asleep. Mia said quietly.

"hey, maybe she's having a vision!" Antonio suggested.

"a vision?" Kevin asked skeptically.

Antonio nodded. "I read in the scrolls some rangers can have visions. She's a Sheba, so maybe…."

Jayden shook his head. "I've had dreams about events to come, but never visions."

"But isn't the white ranger also the ranger of spirits?" Mike asked.

Just then, the gap alarm went off. Jayden carefully set Jess down, then moved to the map.

"East cove." He said, casting one hesitant look at Jess before he ran out.

She woke up a few minutes after the rangers had gone. She sensed Jayden was struggling- it was odd, how deep there bond was. Ji was gone, probably brewing a healing tea or something. Wolf zord stood beside her, and she nodded.

"Let's go." She whispered, before she rushed out.

She carefully explained things to wolf zord.

"Wolf zord, I'm going to disappear soon." She said carefully as she ran along.

"When you see me go with a nylock, know it's not death or betrayal. I'm doing it for the team. I know we haven't been together long, but a pack has to have trust… trust I know what I'm doing, and I trust you won't blow my cover. Return with the other rangers to the Sheba house. Alright?"

The look in wolf zord's eyes was enough to satisfy her.

As soon as the rangers arrived, the nylock with the flower headdress disappeared.

His voice sounded from nowhere. "Moogers, wreak havoc!" instantly moogers rose up all around them.

"Rangers together, samurai forever!" They charged forward.

"White ranger, go!" she rushed in and began destroying moogers.

"Jess! What are you doing here?' Jayden demanded. She destroyed another mooger, electing not to answer.

Within two minutes, all the moogers were nothing.

"That was too easy." Jayden said, uneasy. Just then, a nylock stepped out from the woods. It was gyro.

"No you don't nylock!" Jayden said stepping forward.

Gyro grinned. "Have to catch me first, red ranger. Hope you like running!" Gyro disappeared into the woods.

"Don't let him get away!' Kevin cried. Jess was already pounding through the forest after Gyro, making sure to keep a healthy distance between her and the other rangers. Wolf zord sprinted beside her. "Get ready." She said carefully.

She met Gyro in a clearing. The rangers were at least a few minutes behind her.

"Ready, white ranger?" Gyro asked. She demorphed and nodded. "Ready.

The gap opened. She dropped her sword. This had to look convincing.

Jayden reached the clearing first, just in time to see her step into the gap.

She disappeared.

"No…." he fell to his knees. This couldn't be happening. Jess had not just chosen to go to the nether world after a nylock. She'd been imprisoned there before.

"Jayden!" Emily was instantly beside him. "Are you hurt?"

"No…" he demorphed. "Jess… I saw her go into the nether world…."

"What?" Instantly all the rangers were beside him. Jayden wanted to cry, but knew he couldn't.

"She… she went into the gap after a nylock, I think."

Wolf zord trotted over and whimpered.

"Why would she go into the nether world? She knows she can't survive there." Mike said.

Jayden placed his head in his hands. "I have no idea." He said quietly.

The Sheba house was incredibly quiet that night. Mia didn't cook, they got take out, and no one even enjoyed it. They all sat in silence. Ji seemed the most disturbed.

"Why…." He wondered.

"There has to be a reason. Jayden said suddenly.

"She wouldn't just go to go. She's doing something."

"Like what?" Antonio asked quietly.

"I… I have no idea." Jayden admitted. "But she wouldn't just go there to be with Nylocks, would she?"

Wolf zord paced out in the training yard. Suddenly, they all froze. Wolf zord sat, howling at the moon. It sounded mournfully, seemed to ring an echo of sorrow.

They didn't voice their fears, but they all wondered, what was happening in the nether world?

She was in what would have been a beautiful valley. The sky was tinted red, and the ground was barren and rocky. Ahead of them loomed a large mountain.

Dead plants offered no shade from the eternal heat that seemed to burn. The sanzu river stretched behind them, as far as the eye could see.

The air seemed thin, and she felt the same squeezing feeling she had when Master Xandred had taken her prisoner.

"It's right ahead, in the mountain." Gyro assured her, and she nodded.

"Can you get me to a gap, back to earth, before nightfall?" she asked.

Gyro sighed. "I'm not sure. You can last for three days down here, if you need to."

"I'll do what's necessary to see the prophecy." She said simply.

Gyro nodded. "Follow me."

The walk to the rocky hill wasn't hard, but it seemed an invisible weight pressed down on her the entire way, sapping the air from her lungs, the strength from her.

They reached a cave soon, though, and inside there was complete darkness.

Gyro turned to her.

"This is as far as I can go. I know the prophecy, but cannot see it. Come out when you can. If you truly have Sheba blood, you won't be lost inside. But if you don't, you'll never come out.'

She nodded. "Symbol power.' She drew a symbol and fire instantly sprang up in her hand, lighting a small area of the dark cave,.

She continued on, breathing slowly, allowing her senses to lead her. She came to innumerable forks and tunnels in the cave but chose the one that seemed to speak to her most. Finally, she reached a dead end. She looked around the cave carefully. In the stone the ancient symbols were carved, and she began to read.

Death is said to be a terrible thing, but for some reason, the symbol power of some humans can never die completely. Some are trapped, in disks. Some use their remaining power in disks to aid the fight once again, others come to rangers in moments of inspiration, and still others remain completely gone, never seen. But some, those who have a strong desire, loyalty, and luck, remain. The most common symbol power left behind is that of the ancestors. Some ancestors leave behind scrolls, while others leave a power disk. It is unknown where these disks are, but a human must never know of them, or else it will aid the cause of the humans. To Nylocks, many of the disks the symbol power has left behind is a mystery, the location and powers it contains a mystery. It is said one day a human may stumble upon one of these disks, and that they will sue it to aid the human cause. Whoever this person is, they must be destroyed before it can happen. It is said they will have an accomplice, a tractor who tries to aid them. The one who finds the disk will risk much, and must never be allowed to emerge victorious. They are from the lost line, thought extinct, the one of fire and ice. This one holds temper, but must control it, of will burn through the thin standing ice. Therefore, in this year, any nylock who fails to swear allegiance or disobeys orders will be destroyed, so as not to aid this mysterious human.

She stared for a moment, letting it all sink in. She had started walking through the cave already, she knew, letting her instincts guide her to the exit. By the time she reached it, gyro stood, waiting. She realized there was no night in the Nether world, that the place was eternal darkness, and wordlessly, they began to descend the mountain.

Finally, she spoke. "I'm the one, aren't I? The one destined to find what Jason left behind."

Gyro nodded. "I chose you."

"Why?' she asked quietly. "Because you knew the prophecy and knew I fit the description?"

Gyro shook his head. "No. parts of the prophecy appear as they occur. I chose you because I saw what you did. I saw you stand in front of that boy without a samurizer, no weapons, and take the hit. I saw someone with bravery, someone with a strong will, and I saw the fire symbol power within you. I knew you were the one because of those things. After I chose you, that part of the prophecy must have appeared."

She nodded slowly. They were almost to the gap now. "So, Jason left something behind. But I still have no idea what it is, or where."

Gyro nodded. "You will. We're at the place where I can open the gap, now."

"Wait. We can actually talk now, without visions and stuff. Will more of the prophecy be written now?"

Gyro nodded. "Yes, I believe it will. Each time it grows, I know what it says. It's part of the curse placed upon me…." Gyro trailed off.

"Gyro, what's wrong?' she nudged him.

"Oh no." Gyro said quietly. Hurriedly, he opened the gap.

"Gyro, what's going on?" she demanded.

She heard rapid footfalls ion the distance.

"More of the prophecy has been written. Xandred knows I am here, that you are here. He's coming for me."

"Come to earth. You're half human. We'll face him with the rangers, together.'

Gyro shook his head, eyeing a speck of growing darkness on the horizon.

"There is no time… I… I cannot. Go."

"No." she stood beside him. "I won't leave you."

She could see the faces of the Nylock's rushing them. "Go!" Gyro shoved her through the gap and she was falling, falling until she hit the ground of earth.

"Mmmph!" she ended up face first on the ground. She took in deep breath, feeling the strength her time in the nether world had taken returning.

Finally, she got to her feet. It was dark out, the moon was full, and she was in unfamiliar forest. But she started trotting through the woods carefully, silently, towards the ties that bound her to home.

She pulled open the gate carefully and walked inside, wolf zord tackling her into the ground and licking her.

Jayden pulled open the door and rushed out.

"Jess!" he was wrapping her in a bear hug, and in an instant, everyone was circled around her.

Jayden took a deep breath, then spoke. "What possessed you to go into the nether world?"

Jess shrugged and got to her feet. "Had to follow someone."

"Someone?" Kevin asked.

"Who?"

"A… a friend…." She stammered.

"A friend?" Jayden's eyes were wide.

She nodded. "yeah. But someone I had to talk to. I'm fine, though."

She walked easily inside.

Jayden steered her toward the couch. "We are definitely going to talk about this." He said.

In the light, he noticed a clawing on her arm.

"Jess!' Instantly, he was pressing a bandage on the wound.

"Who did that to you?" he demanded.

"I… um…."

"It was the nylock you followed, wasn't it?" said Mike. "You call him a friend, after he did that to you?"

Jess realized gyro's claws had scratched her when he had shoved her into the gap, to safety.

"It was an accident! Gyro would never do something like that on purpose!" she burst out.

Jayden raised his eyebrows. "Gyro. So he has a name."

"Stop it! Stop it, all of you!" she said coldly, so cold everyone stared. "Gyro is half human. He can control himself."

"So controlled he scratched you.' Antonio pointed out.

"he was pushing me away from danger!' she exploded. By now, Ji was watching.

"Why didn't you tell someone?' he asked quietly. "how long have you been talking to his monster?"

"He's not a monster!" she yelled back so forcefully it shocked everyone.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Sorry. It's just you're making him out to be this horrible guy, and he isn't."

"He's a nylock, Jess. Why didn't you tell me?" Jayden asked, a look of hurt in his eyes.

"I… Jay, I tried. But you guys thought I was hallucinating, and I kept quiet, and things progressed. But gyro's good."

"how do you know that?" Jayden asked skeptically.

"Well, the twin Nylocks for instance. He told me the back was there weak spot. It's odd, but he'll talk to me sometimes in my head.'

Jayden raised his eyebrows, but she kept talking.

"And another time, he sort of gave me directions to a secret place. I found some things I needed there, and then moogers came….'

"See! He set up an ambush!" Mia cried.

"He didn't!" she sighed. "He's being chased by Master Xandred. He wants me to find something that will help us defeat him, so his curse is lifted."

Jayden still looked wary. Finally, he spoke.

"Jess, I don't think you should be around Gyro anymore.' He said quietly.

"What? No, Jay, he's helping me. He's helping _us, _all of us. I'm not sure what I'm looking for yet, it might be a power disk or a new zord, I'm not sure. But I'm not going to stop…."

"Jess, I'm not asking anymore." Jayden said, a bit louder this time. "As your older cousin and the red ranger, I am _forbidding _you from seeing him."

"Jayden!" she protested.

""I'm sorry, Jess, but it's for your own good.' Jayden said quietly.

"Then you never want to see Jason alive again!" she yelled.

Everything was dead silent for a moment, and she jumped to her feet, racing out the door.

She hated what she had just said, the look of shock and hurt in his eyes, and her running away from it all. She had disobeyed Jayden, the person who meant the most to her in the world. But hadn't it been Jayden who'd said everyone had a choice between good and evil? He didn't even stick to it when it came to gyro.

She sighed, realizing she was crying a little.

She heard something in the shadows of the forest, a low moan…. Gyro!

She rushed beside him, where he was laying. She ignited her hand with symbol power and studied him. He was worse than before, covered in gashes and blows, beaten almost beyond coherence.

"Symbol power, heal." She muttered, forcing aside exhaustion to heal gyro to some degree of health.

She gasped when she was done, falling over in the dirt. Gyro said nothing beside her. She started to cry.

Jayden, the rangers… she had turned her back on them, to trust a nylock. She knew in her heart gyro was good, but no one else believed it. And now she wasn't sure what state her friend was in, what was going to happen next, she wasn't sure of anything.

"It's alright, white ranger, you've followed your heart. Your heart will never fail you."

She looked up, shocked, to see a figure made of fire standing before her.

"Uncle…." She breathed, scrambling to her feet and whipping her eyes.

The fiery image of Jason approached her. "Hello, Niece." He said quietly, smiling.

"I wasn't aware of your existence until I was in the middle of the war with Xandred. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you while I was living."

She shrugged. "It's alright… I guess. I mean, we're all kind of busy fighting the war now."

Jason nodded. "Jessica." he stepped closer to her, his fiery hand touching her cheek. It didn't burn, felt cool, nice. She leaned into his touch.

"You look so much like your mother." He said quietly.

She felt a pang in her heart. "Thank you…. Uncle, what can I do?" she asked quietly. "I hurt Jayden, the rangers might think I betrayed them, Gyro might be dying, and I have no idea how to find you…." She trailed off. More tears came.

Jason knelt so he was eye level with her. "Don't cry, Jessica. You are stronger than I had ever thought you could be, losing your parents, standing up for gyro…. I regret Jayden doesn't see it the right way, but he will in time. Until then, you must be the leader, show them this new direction."

"But what direction? What? I have no idea where whatever you left behind is, and I have no clue what to do, and I'm nothing without my team!" she burst out.

"I mean, I can live in the woods and all, survive, but what about gyro? How do I keep him alive? What do I do?"

"Shhh…." Jason placed comforting hands on her shoulders. "It's alright. Be quiet, and you'll hear where your heart is leading you."

"But how can my heart lead me if it's broken? I think it is… I hurt the people I loved!"

Jason shook his head. "No, little one, you did it for the right reasons. Don't worry. It all comes to pass. Your heart may be broken, but it's been broken before, hasn't it? Your parent's death, your grandfather's death, one after the other…. Your heart broke each time, but you found the strength to put the pieces back together. I know it's hard, but it's what you must do now, little one. I'm depending on you to find me.'

"Uncle, please, don't leave me!" but Jason's fiery image was already fading.

"Don't worry, little one. I will always be in your heart."

It was suddenly dawn, and gyro was shaking her violently. "White ranger! Wake up!"

She sat bolt upright, shocked. "Gyro! You're alive!"

Gyro nodded. "thanks to you, I am. You healed me, almost gave away all your life force. I woke up to find you here, almost dead."

She sighed, sitting up. "Do you know anything else, gyro? About Jason's location?"

Gyro shook his head. "No, nothing else, I'm afraid. I figured you could take it from here.'

She nodded. "I think I can, but I need your help, gyro. We're not too far from the Sheba house… wait here, alright?'

Gyro nodded. "be careful, white ranger. Putting your faith in me might have upset the trust between you and your teammates.'

"I'm not looking for my team.' She said quietly. "I'm looking for the answers.'

She tip-toed through the gates and into the living room, managing to slip into her closet.

The scroll, the lump of coal, the locket, and the watch. It all seemed useless, but when put together… what would she find?

She slipped outside, finding the team waiting in the training yard. They all stopped when they saw her.

"Jess." Jayden stepped forward cautiously, and she could see what she said about Jason had been haunting him.

"We need to talk, now."

She shook her head. 'I can't, jay. I know I hurt you, I'm sorry, but I'm safe, and I have to do something now."

Jayden stepped forward. "Jess, no. Your life could be at stake here. We have to talk about this."

She sighed. She had never wanted to do this. "Jay, I have to go. It's not just for me it's for the team. You don't understand now, but you will soon, I promise."

Jayden shook his head. "no, we're a team. We tell each other things."

"yeah, I told you your dad was still alive and you thought I was insane." She said quietly.

Jayden stared and she started for the gate.

Kevin grabbed her wrist, and she flipped him onto the ground, sprinting away.

She heard the others tearing through the brush after her.

"Gyro! Run!' she called out into the brush.

Mia tackled her now, holding her sky fan at her throat. "I'm sorry, Jess, but it's for your own good you talk to us." Mia said. The rest of the team had emerged from the brush by now and stood around her.

"I never wanted to do this, Jess." Jayden's voice cracked. Just then, something rushed from the woods and shoved Mia away. Mia ended up against a tree, and slid to the ground.

"Gyro! Don't hurt them!" jess cried. Mia was gasping.

"Mia!" Mike knelt beside her.

"You see what your friend did, Jess?" Jayden asked. "Look what he did to Mia."

Gyro stood in front of her, facing the rangers.

"You won't touch her, rangers. We're going for the same goal, to destroy master Xandred. You need to trust me."

"you're a Nylock." Jayden said, his voice icy.

"He's only half! You pushed him to it, Jayden! You shouldn't have hunted me down!"

Jayden shook his head. "It's for your own good, jess. We can't let you go with him. We're a team, remember?" there was something pleading in her cousin's voice.

"I'm not your copy, jay! I have Sheba blood, yes, but I also have the blood of the white ranger! The ranger of spirits! Ever think it was my destiny to do this?"

'What about the team?" Jayden asked.

"I'm doing this for the team!" she cried. "You just can't see it! But I guess I'm gone in your eyes, on the path to becoming a nylock.'

"You'd never do that!" Emily cried, stepping forward.

"Exactly! I… there's no time to explain it all, but I have to do this. Don't hurt gyro, he won't hurt you. You need to _trust _me."

The team seemed to be considering for a moment.

Jess sensed something suddenly, like a tug. Time was running out. Whatever it was, it was calling to her _now_.

"Gyro, we need to go, _now_."

Gyro nodded, and the disappeared into the brush before the rangers could say another word.

Jayden's samurizer rang as soon as they were gone.

"Attack on Market street." He said hurriedly.

The rangers raced off in the opposite direction, towards the city.

Chapter 8

The Nylock was back and stronger than ever, his vine like arms wrapping around people wildly. Innocents screamed and fled, and there was pandemonium everywhere.

"Samurizers, go go samurai!"

"Gold power, go!" Instantly, they were all ready for battle.

The nylock laughed. "You puny rangers can't stop me. Moogers!"

Moogers ran out from a dark alley, charging the rangers.

"Quadruple slash!"

"Blazing strike!

"Barracuda blade!"

Instantly, the Moogers were nothing.

"Now it's time to end you, nylock." Jayden said. The Nylock's vine arms dropped the people they were holding and turned to face the rangers.

"Try me, rainbow ninjas." He jeered.

"Yaaa!' Jayden led the charge on the Nylock, but it's vines managed to block everything. Suddenly, the vine arms were thorny whips, sending them all flying back.

Jayden staggered to his feet after being hit twice, as did the others, but they couldn't get a hit on the Nylock, besides the gash jess had already made.

"Face it, rangers, you can't take me!" laughed the nylock.

"We _will _stop you!' Kevin declared.

"So sure of yourself. Say hello to my sleeping spores!"

Instantly, a cloud rushed from the nylock, choking the rangers.

One by one, they dropped into unconcio9usness. The Nylock carried them off wrapped in his vine arms, into the forest.

"Uhh!" Jess doubled over in pain as they walked and staggered.

"What's wrong?" Gyro asked, nervous.

"It's… Jayden…." She muttered. "he's in pain…. They must be losing…."

Gyro looked surprised. "You can feel your cousin's pain?" he asked.

Jess nodded. "Sometimes. He can also feel mine…." She staggered forward, grabbing onto a tree. "Listen, gyro, my team is in trouble. Whatever this thing is, we need to find it, quick."

Gyro nodded. "Are we close?' he asked.

She nodded. "Very."

She stumbled on.

Eventually they reached the clearing, where a rocky cliff came to meet the land. Upwards, into the mist, there rocks stretched, high into the clouds.

Jess nodded. "Here it's almost a replica of the place in the nether world."

Gyro nodded.

"It's probably guarded. Where's the entrance, anyways?"

Jess stepped forward, feeling the items she had in her pocket. She slowly ran her hand along the rocks, until she felt something- the greasy, odd coal-like texture, the same as the small rock in her pocket.

There was a small chip missing from the great black wall, and she quietly placed what had looked like the lump of coal inside.

Instantly, with a great creaking, the rocks parted, revealing a place that was completely black inside.

Gyro looked inside, a bit perturbed. "Only one with flames may enter and exit alive."

She nodded. "Alright, I'll go, then. I'll be back soon, gyro.'

Gyro nodded. "I'll wait." He promised.

She stepped carefully inside, drawing her symbol and kindling a fire in her hand.

The tunnel she was in was small, made entirely of the coal. She smiled at Jason's cleverness. Coal- the fuel to fire- he had left the key in his belongings, a riddle to solve. She had done it. But she also had to be careful as she strode through the coal-lined tunnel- one false move and the entire structure could go up in flames.

The tunnel widened out into a single, circular room twenty yards in, and she stepped inside.

There was what looked like a pedestal, and the floor was carved with designs of flames and lions. A stone rectangle sat in the center of the room, and a lion stature with flames for a mane stood behind it, mouth closed in a fearsome growl.

She strode forward to the rectangular pedestal for a moment, looking at what she had still- the Sheba family line on the scroll, the old locket, Jason's wrist watch, and… her own locket….

She realized it suddenly. It was the order of the family line. She placed the scroll down first, then Jason's wrist watch, since he was born first- the old locket had to have been her mother's as a child, and she placed it next, and then, she hesitantly removed her own locket, the one that had belonged to her mother, and placed it on the pedestal.

Nothing happened. She waited. Still, nothing.

Suddenly, the mane on the stone lion ignited in a blazing fury, and the stone jaws of the beast opened, revealing… a red disk….

She carefully took the disk, then turned. All the things remained on the stone pedestal, still. She scooped them up and ran. Jayden needed her, the team needed her. It was time to go.

Jayden tried not to moan as he woke up. He was tied to a tree with vines that seemed to sap all his symbol power… he looked around him- the others were the same.

The flower Nylock was pacing, speaking to a mirror.

"I have them all, master." He was saying.

Just then, Octaroo jumped from a gap.

"Oh ah oh, you're missing one, you!" he declared.

The flower Nylock turned. "Which one?" he demanded. I have red, blue, green, yellow, pink, that's a rainbow, isn't it?"

Octaroo shook his head. "No, there's a girl, the white ranger, and oh ah oo, Master Xandred wants her too."

"Gah!" growled the nylock. "Fine. I'll get the girl! Just give me a moment."

The nylock turned to a pool of water.

"This should do."

He drew a dark symbol, and instantly, his face was reflected on every pool of water in the forest.

"White ranger, I have your friends. Come to play, if you want to see them alive."

"Jess, don't do it!" Jayden cried, hoping Jess could hear. The nylock was much too strong to fight.

"Quiet, you!"

The nylock struck Jayden across the face. Jayden relaxed. Jess probably wouldn't come, anyways. Not after way he'd not believed her, tried to take her away from gyro- he had to admit, Gyro seemed to have control of his nylock side. But jess wasn't in danger anymore. She wouldn't come. He hoped she wouldn't, at least. This nylock was far too strong….

She raced out of the cave to find Gyro waiting, staring at a puddle.

"Quick!" he cried. "The team's been captured by the Nylock! I know where it is! He did a showing symbol. He wants you to come!'

She nodded, morphing as she raced beside Gyro. She'd reach her tem in time, she had to.

They burst into the clearing minutes later, and she held her spin sword at the ready.

"Let them go, Nylock." She said quietly.

The nylock laughed. "_This _is the ranger master Xandred wanted me to catch?' he laughed.

"Look out! She's a feisty one!" Octaroo warned.

Gyro stepped into the clearing quietly. "Hello, Kyree. I see we meet again."

The nylock stopped laughing.

"Traitor!" he spat at Gyro. "You've been leading the girl, haven't you?"

Gyro nodded. "Yes, and she has the disk. You won't win."

Jess had already placed the disk on her spin zord, and she waited.

"Jess, what are you doing?" Mike demanded.

The black nylock stepped forward. "Gyro… uh... I'll take you to master Xandred, where you belong…."

"You'll have to get through me, first!" Jess declared, stepping forward.

The nylock laughed. "Oh! Gyro has protection, I see. I'll tear through you like a piece of paper!"

"Try me!" Jess said, grinning.

"What?"

"Huh?"

All the rangers stared shocked.

_Come on uncle. I really need you right now…._

She thought quietly.

"Jess, remember your basics." Jayden said quietly.

She shook her head. "It's alright, jay, I got this."

The nylock was still creeping forward. Suddenly he lunged, vines flying from his body towards her.

"Phoenix flame!"

Instantly, a bird of fire swooped down as she drew the symbol, scorching the ends of the vines.

"Hey! My vines!' the nylock cried, and he staggered backward.

"You'll pay for that, girl!"

"Power of the ancestor, go!" she spun the disk on her spin zord, and instantly, the powers Jason had left behind came into action. Suddenly, she saw things differently, how to strike, where, the best option….

"Yaa!" Instantly, she was rushing, striking the Nylock again and again.

"No!" the nylock staggered and fell back, and Octaroo started running.

"Fiery fate!" fire engulfed the monster instantly, burning him to a crisp.

"No mega mode for you!' she hurriedly drew a symbol and sent it flying at the burning mass that had once been the Nylock. Instantly, it exploded.

The vines securing the rangers to the trees disappeared, and they all fell to the ground.

Jayden slowly got to his feet a moved towards her, as if in a dream.

"Jess?" it was so hard to believe his little cousin was actually back….

She collapsed a moment later, still holding the red disk in her hand….

"Jess!" Vitals, breathing, everything seemed normal… she was just, out.

"It's alright, son."

Jayden stared up at the fiery image of his father in shock.

"Dad…?"

Jason nodded the flames that formed his face creasing as he smiled. "She did it, son. She found the disk I left behind."

Jayden nodded slowly, not daring to take his eyes of the fiery image of his father.

"Wh-why…?" he stuttered.

"She's using her symbol power right now so I can speak to you.' Jason said calmly. "She's definitely a Sheba, but she had more white ranger blood then I thought."

Jayden nodded dumbly.

"I… Dad, what do I have to do to defeat master Xandred?' he asked slowly.

Jason shook his head. "I don't know son. But I know you'll win, and I'll help you in any way I can."

"Dad!" the image of Jason was slowly fading.

"I love you, son…."

The fire disappeared completely, and the rangers were left staring at Jess's unmoving form in the dirt, shocked.

Gyro fell to his knees beside her.

"White ranger!"

Jayden stared for a second, then quickly pulled his little cousin away from the Nylock standing before him, holding her in his arms.

"You won't touch her, Nylock." He said, determined.

The team was shocked to find something like hurt register in the Nylock's eyes. "I… I will not hurt her…."

"No, you won't. I've learned to never trust a nylock. Now go."

Gyro stood, turning and slowly walking away.

"Gyro!" jess came to in Jayden's arms and scrambled free, running towards Gyro.

"White ranger." Gyro seemed to smile as the team stared. Jayden slowly stood.

"Jay, can't you see? He's good. He helped me find Jason's power disk."

Jayden looked to be considering for a moment, then nodded. "You can talk to him, but if he does anything threatening…."

Jess had thrown herself into Gyro's arms before he could finish.

Jess cried quietly.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, tears falling down her face.

Gyro nodded. "I must. I have done my part in helping you, white ranger, but I cannot be with all humans. I have brief moments where I lose control, and it would endanger all of you…."

"So what now?" she cried quietly, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Master Xandred and all the others are hunting you. You can't return to the nether world."

Gyro sighed, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "I will be here, my friend, watching you. When you need me, I will come, and at the final battle…. Strike a blow for me, white ranger."

"I will. I promise." She carefully buried her face in his chest and he hugged her for a moment, then let go.

"It is time for you to move on, white ranger. I am only a messenger in this war, bearing news of power. Now I go, and leave you to do the real fighting. Do not fail me, white ranger."

"I won't…."

Gyro nodded to the team and turned, disappearing into the woods.

Jess quietly whipped her eyes, finding Jayden placing a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll defeat master Xandred, Jess, and he'll be freed.'

She nodded quietly, then looked up at him with tear filled blue eyes. "Why didn't you believe me, jay?" she asked quietly.

"I… I made a mistake…." Jayden said simply, and his voice cracked.

"I'm sorry I ran off." She said quietly.

"I did it for you guys, though, you see? Do you understand it yet?"

Jayden shook his head. "No, but you'll explain it, I'm sure. Let's get back to the Dojo."

They started the almost silent walk back to the Sheba house.

Chapter 9

They sat around an extra-large pizza, nibbling slices as Jess explained her story in-between bites.

"So, you trusted a Nylock?' Jayden asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I did. We were losing the battle against the twin Nylocks, so I figured his advice was worth a shot."

Jayden nodded quietly. "I'm sorry we didn't trust you, jess. I never realized how well in hand you had things."

Jess shrugged. "no biggie. I miss gyro, though. He's destined to wander, I guess, until we beat master Xandred."

Ji nodded. "That's just one more reason we have to win this battle."

"And we will." Jayden said simply.

"Yeah! I'll drink to that!" Mike said, and they all clinked glasses of Mountain dew before taking a long sip. Everyone was smiling at one another, and even the ache of Gyro was healing within Jess. She felt the fire of a Sheba burn within her, and she made her solemn vow in her head.

She would win this fight, to protect those she loved.


End file.
